


A New "Normal"

by DebSarcasticPlight



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Compliant, Case Fic, Episode: s14e14 Ouroboros, Episode: s14e15, Season/Series 14 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 01:10:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18128978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DebSarcasticPlight/pseuds/DebSarcasticPlight
Summary: So while I enjoyed s14e15 Peace of Mind, I felt like something was missing as well. So I envision this being the week or so after s14e14 Ouroboros, maybe? This is my first attempt at fanfiction, so feel free to make lots of suggestions!





	A New "Normal"

Dean stared long at his reflection in the mirror. with one finger he traced his new head wound from his temple downwards. It was healing fast enough, but knowing his luck it would probably leave a good-sized scar. The concussion from being repeatedly head bashed into a wall? It seemed to be subsiding quicker than usual, the dizziness hadn’t been as intense this time as it had in the past.

Maybe the physical injuries hadn’t even been that severe overall, But more the gut-wrenching shock of getting taken down by some scrawny half-pint Gorgon. And after weeks of hypervigilance, migraines, and insomnia, the sudden loss of all control had paralyzed Dean with fear as his consciousness had drained away. Just long enough for Arch Angel Michael to escape.

Dean’s guilt was overwhelming, like tiny hooks radiating inwards, twisting and tightening around inside his chest. Sometimes, he would awake suddenly and couldn’t breathe, remembering the punishment Michael had unleashed upon them. And all the lives that had been lost that day, that had been his fault too. If only he could have been stronger, he could have held on to Michael longer.

“Are you ok Dean?” Cas asked slowly.

Dean looked up to see the familiar face of the trench-coated angel lurking behind him.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Dean replied, forcing a half-smile across his lips.

Cas nodded solemnly in his direction before shuffling away to check on Jack.  
  


***

A deafening calmness had descended over the bunker now that the bustling army of hunters all slain had been put to rest. Dean and Cas had built one large pyre days ago, cremating everyone together at sunset. The funeral had been a solemn one; Sam had pushed himself hard to be optimistic and tried to memorialize every life lost. Partway through, his voice had cracked and regressed into sobbing, afterward Sam completely withdrawn to his room, ignoring everyone for days.  
  


***

It had then been a huge relief when Sam shook Dean awake one morning ranting about a potential case. A rash of animal mutilations and a desecrated cemetery lead them both to Enid, Oklahoma. Loading into the Impala and hitting the road was a refreshing return to normalcy. Jack and Cas had stayed behind, and Dean was beginning to feel confident that he and Sam could begin to move forward.

After interviewing neighborhood locals, Sam had gotten a tip regarding a new high school guidance counselor who had started up a young lady’s empowerment group. Meeting late into the evenings after school and in the woods, it had in fact turned out to be an entry-level coven. Despite the high enrollment of the group, the problem had been seemingly neutralized after ganking the lead witch/ guidance counselor. The rest of the girls aged 13-18 seemed to have no memories of their actions or involvement and Dean had been satisfied that they too had been under some spell that was now broken.

Heading home Sam seemed more relaxed and maybe back to his old self. They had stopped at a bar outside Lebanon, KS to celebrate their victory and then Dean had continued the party himself back at the bunker. It had been a long time since Dean had allowed himself to get really drunk. But since he no longer had to worry about keeping Michael locked away, he could now fully partake. Dean drank until the early hours of the morning before finally stumbling back to his room knowing he could fully pass out and sleep in without being haunted by guilt-stricken nightmares.

***

It had then been a rude and early awakening the next day to Cas mumbling something about a poltergeist at a pizzeria in Liberty, IL. Followed immediately by the familiar throbbing head pain of a hangover. Fortunately, Cas has come prepared with a glass of water and pain relievers. Dean knocked back the pills and chugged the water. He wanted nothing more than to stay in bed and recover. But Cas had that desperate look of anxiety and concern so Dean agreed to come along with him, jack and Sam. Upon standing, however, it was quickly agreed upon to take Cas’s POS car so that Dean could rest some more instead of driving.

Cas made good time once on the road, Jack seemed quieter than usual but Dean was grateful not to have to talk much. When they arrived in Liberty, IL some six hours later they were all raring to go. Cas and Sam interviewed the Pizzeria owner who disclosed that there had indeed been cold spots, flickering lights, and strange unexplained moaning and crying since the Store's grand opening earlier in the month. After visiting the local library it became apparent that there had been multiple local disappearances in the area during the buildings' initial construction. After comparing the original building plans with the remodeled ones Jack had noticed some irregularities in the walls between the two structures.

Returning after hours, Dean was disgusted to discover the entire building infested with rodents after having enjoyed a slice of pizza earlier. Fortunately, Cas and Jack were able to sense the energies of four dismembered skeletal remains hidden behind faux walls. Sam and Dean had gotten to work with crowbars and everyone helped salting and burning the remains. Subsequently, the building had caught on fire, but Dean felt it was entirely justified to give the mouse/rat situation.

***

That night Dean and Sam slept in the Car, while Jack and Cas stayed up talking. Apparently, after consuming Michael’s grace Jack no longer required sleep and Cas was trying to take the opportunity to have a heart to heart with him.

Dean woke up hungry, and everyone agreed to a diner run before heading back home. Halfway through a giant plate of Waffles, Eggs and Bacon Dean’s phone rang. A hunter in Shenandoah, IA who had been referred to the Winchester’s by a friend of a friend of Bobby’s? Dean raised his eyebrow in disbelief, his mouth still mostly full he passed the phone to Sam. Who listened intently for some time, before agreeing to meet up and writing down and address on his napkin.

“So, get this, apparently, there is a Sewer Monster in Iowa!” Sam finally explained.

Cas and Dean exchanged dubious glances.

“ I've never seen a sewer monster before…” Jack trailed off excitedly.

“Ok. One more hunt” Dean sighed.

***

The so-called Sewer Monster was a local urban legend dating back at least fifty years. It was known for dragging small dogs and unruly children to their demise as well as loud unexplained scraping and clawing sounds mostly occurring after major rainstorms. Nobody really thought much of it until a recent sewer project had begun and several city employees had been attacked.

After losing three out of three rock, paper, scissors Dean clad in fishing waders descended into grimy sewer tunnels. While Sam, Cas, and Jack waited above posing as workmen. The sewer was worse than what Dean had expected. Ancient tunnels covered in debris and cobwebs, knee-high water and a sludgy uneven ground. And of course the overpowering smell of raw sewage.

Dean’s stomach lurched at the overall experience, and before he knew it he had puked up his entire breakfast.

“You, ok down there” Sam called.

“Yeah, sure!” Dean called back,

Dean followed the sewer about twenty feet to a fork in the channel. Water sloshed all around him as he moved. He felt something brush against his body and aimed his flashlight downwards in time to find a floating decomposing dog carcass. It was waterlogged, missing limbs and smelled completely rancid. Then he heard a deep-throated hiss and clawing noises. Dean searched all-around before spotting an ancient looking alligator-like thing scuttling into the water next to him.

Without thinking thoroughly, Dean discharged his gun at the creature and as he backed away he lost his footing and fell backward into the sludge. As his waders quickly filled with sewer goo he realized that the clawing noises stopped. A second scan with the flashlight revealed that the creature was in fact floating lifelessly in the water. Wasting no time to get out of the sewer, Dean headed back up to street level. Sam and Jack retrieved the body of the creature which turned out not to be all the big in actuality and hardly worth emptying an entire clip of silver bullets into.

Dean changed his clothing at a gas station near the highway. Nobody had complained about him smelling like sewage, but he knew that did anyway. Sam had offered to stop and find a motel where Dean could clean up some more, but Dean had declined.

“Let's just go home, Sam,” Dean grumbled as he stared out the window dreaming of a long hot shower, his memory foam mattress and maybe a sandwich.


End file.
